Partners bidding to win mobile data opportunities for M2M and IoT solutions such as 4G SIMs in tablets in the public sector or MultiNet SIMs in smart water meters are being asked very specific questions about their portal. End-users want to know how real-time the data is and how automated the portal is. It is essential in the public sector, who are working to tight budgets who have been burnt before with high data overage charges, no visibility and no direct access to make changes to their estate.
Adrian Sunderland, CTO, commented, ‘I have noticed a trend when working with MSPs on IoT bids. End users do not want multiple supplier portals to deal with, they want the ability to order a wide range of technologies from multiple network operators in a single portal. They want direct access to activate SIMs, add bolt-ons and share data across accounts. They need access for their end user to be able to monitor usage in real-time. Suppliers who can offer real-time, automated portals are better placed to win the deals.’